With the increasing use of telecommunication networks for data services, such as web browsing, video and audio streaming, and audio calls, along with the transition of other types of data (voice calls, etc.) from circuit-switched connections to packet-switched connections, telecommunication service providers have been faced with mounting network congestion issues. Both radio access networks (RAN) and backhaul of the telecommunication networks are burdened by the increased data traffic.
To optimize delivery and reduce congestion, telecommunication service providers are increasingly inspecting data packets transmitted across their networks to determine application type and other relevant metrics that may help in prioritizing the packets and improving user experience. Because of packet encryption, however, this inspection is often time and resource intensive.